1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an adjustable splint, and more particularly, to an adjustable splint useful in treating impairments in the ankle joint, from flexion or extension contracture, weakness in the supporting musculature, or other maladies inhibiting the integrity of the body joint in accomplishing extension or flexion.
2. Prior Art
There are numerous cases where bedridden individuals have lost ambulation simply from developing an ankle flexion contracture. The various causes of developing ankle flexion contractures in this segment of the population are many. Very frequently, disuse and neglect of an existing medical problem such as a stroke, fracture about the ankle or vascular problems, just to mention a few, will result in the development of an ankle flexion contracture. In addition, people having any type of ankle surgery, especially medial meniscectomies, open reduction and internal fixation of a fracture and ligamentous repairs, are subject to developing an ankle flexion contracture. There are also other injuries about the ankle not requiring surgery which develop into ankle flexion contracture. These injuries include minuscule tears, ligament tears (both partial and complete) and fractures about the ankle which are reduced by close reduction. If these ankle flexion contractures, whatever their cause, could be reduced, more than 50 percent of all bedridden patients having ankle flexion contractures would gain tremendous progress toward gaining independence in ambulation.
People also develop extension contractures in the ankle joint for many and various causes. Weakness, disuse, fractures, surgeries, traumatic injuries, illness and other causes have been known to cause loss of ability to flex the ankle, i.e., to produce extension contracture of the ankle.
Devices for reducing extension contractures by providing adjustable, qualifiable pressure to various parts of the body have been previously disclosed by the inventor in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,657,000 and 4,485,808. However, no device presently exists which is specifically concerned with reducing extension contractures about the ankle joint by providing adjustable, qualifiable pressure.
Splint devices and mechanisms have been designed to be influential at the ankle either for support or mobilizing the ankle joint. However, these devices are either not designed to reduce ankle flexion or extension contracture, or when designed for a similar purpose, cannot be tolerated by the patient population for a long enough period to effectively reduce a contracture. Moreover, none of these prior art devices offer a satisfactory means for adjusting the pressure exerted by the splint devices.